Budget airlines have increased the frequency people can travel abroad, meaning there is a greater impact on the environment. Tourists can also have a social affect on local residents.

Tourismconcern.org.uk is an organisation which seeks to reduce the social and environmental implications which tourism has in different communities throughout the world. They believe that the even simple changes such as the introduction of paperless tickets and changes to company waste management policies will have a positive impact.

Negative impact which tourism can have:

• Local water supplies can be affected. The typical tourist uses as much water in a day as a rural villager uses to produce rice for 100 days.
• Increase in prices due to high demand. Meaning locals have to pay more for basic goods
• 1 million children are sexually abused by tourist
• Cultural sensitivities can easily be disturbed

How to be a more ethical tourist:

• Act minimally in your actions – conserve water, energy and the fragile environment
• Respect human rights and ensure your travel operator is working with organisations fighting tourism exploitation. Raise issues with your operator of anything you see which isn’t as it should be
• Support local communities – buy local produce
• Be culturally aware of what is and isn’t acceptable - learn some local words if possible